Lagoons · Kissamos
Balos Lagoon
Turquoise shallow lagoon at the tip of the Gramvousa peninsula, framed by pink-tinted sand.
Boat trips
Balos, Spinalonga, Chrissi and more
Day cruises are the relaxed way to see the famous lagoons and islands. The big boats are cheaper, the small group and private boats stop at quieter coves.
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Where to do it
Forts & castles · Agios Nikolaos
Spinalonga Island
Venetian sea fortress that later became a leper colony until 1957.
Sandy beaches · Agios Vasileios
Preveli Palm Beach
River-mouth beach with a palm forest, below the historic Preveli monastery.
Sandy beaches · Kissamos
Imeri Gramvousa Beach
The sandy cove on Gramvousa island, below a Venetian fortress and next to a shipwreck.
Sandy beaches · Ierapetra
Chrissi Island
Cedar forest and white sand off Ierapetra.
Forts & castles · Kissamos
Gramvousa Castle
A Venetian castle above Balos.
Sandy beaches · Sitia
Koufonisi Island
An uninhabited island with dunes and Minoan traces.
Hidden gem
Sandy beaches · Agios Vasileios
Paximadia Islands
Two uninhabited islands off Agia Galini.
Hidden gem
Plateaus, forests & parks · Heraklion
Dia Island
A nature reserve island off Heraklion.